JIMI HENDRIX, Band Of Gypsys (Rare 1970 1st press)

	£		58
	$		77

e © AP6.0

You are looking at an auction for a very VERY rare LP (in INCREDIBLE condition!!!!) It’s a 1970 1st UK pressing of Jimi Hendrix’s classic ‘Band Of Gypsys’ THIS IS AN EXTREMELY RARE LP - ESPECIALLY IN THIS CONDITION!!!! THIS IS ALSO THE COMPLETE AND ORIGINAL UK ISSUE WITH THE WITHDRAWN ‘PUPPET SLEEVE’ SO DONT MISS OUT ON THIS RARE OPPORTUNITY!!!! Now 34 years old, released in 1970 on the TRACK RECORD label and in STUNNING condition!!!! The record is pressed on great quality vinyl. All the tracks are pure quality, the music of Jimi Hendrix exploring new musical territories months before his tragic early death – this original has become one of his ultimate collectables!!!!

ITEM SPECIFICS

ARTIST: JIMI HENDRIX TITLE: BAND OF GYPSYS

FORMAT: VINYL LP YEAR OF 1ST RELEASE: 1970 PRESSING: 1ST (PUPPET SLEEVE)

LABEL: TRACK RECORD CAT. NO: 2406 002

MATRIX NO. SIDE A: 2406 002 A 1 MATRIX NO. SIDE B: 2406 002 B 1

ANY OTHER DETAILS: STEREO

RECORD CONDITION:

For a record that is now an amazing 34 years old, this really is a wonderful disc that displays no defects, it has a superb glossy sheen and it's very few paper scuffs are only light, very infrequent and can only be seen close up under a strong light. It is well worth a strong grade of EXCELLENT++++. The spindle wear is certainly not excessive, it shows merely that this record has been played with great care just a few times. These are my prime considerations in the grade, it really deserves better, but I feel that the few small signs of use it displays mark EX+++ as the most accurate, it is however a rare record that's maintained a quite stunning quality.

A primary reason for it's excellence is in the fact that this record has come from just one previous owner who bought it around the time of release in June 1970, and it's plain to see that for those three and a half decades it has been treated like a treasured item. The sound is mind-blowing, displaying such an amazing depth of audio clarity that I can safely say you will not hear a better quality version of these recordings anywhere. The needle on the run-in grooves is close to totally silent, and this is the standard that is maintained throughout. There is nothing more than the occassional light crackle to report during the whole record. The best example of this crystal clear audio is during opening track 'Who Knows', there's a point where the band wind it down to a near whisper and during those moments you really feel that should there be the sound of a pin drop on the master tape, the needle would pick it up. Likewise, as the band crank up the volume, this first pressing album has the quality about it to deliver with breathtaking power and impact. The main thing to remember is this, it has only ever been played a few times (certainly less than ten) and this record was clearly always handled with care, rare records seldom turn up looking and playing as great as this!

Recorded on new years eve 1969/70 at Fillmore East, this live album showcased Jimi's new all black line-up The Band Of Gypsys and also hinted at a possible funkier, more soulful direction to come. Sadly this record, and in particular this pressing of it, turned out to be Jimi Hendrix's last release before his untimely September 1970 death from a drugs overdose.

COVER CONDITION:

The rarity value on this version of the album, other than of course the fact that it's a hotly sought after first pressing, is based on the cover puppet design artwork. It's an image that was featured as the cover art for just a few weeks, showing a puppet Hendrix with other, very recocnizeable, puppets of Brian Jones, Bob Dylan and John Peel. Following Hendrix's death less than three months after the albums first issue, the sleeve design was changed to the more easily found version featuring a shot of Jimi at Isle Of Wight. It is decisions like this that unwittingly create collectors items, and so it was that this first pressing became a rarity very quickly! Even today, first pressing editions of 'Band Of Gypsys' remains one of the ultimate sought after rare items for serious Hendrix collectors.

I would first like to stress that this cover, which is such a vital part of this items rarity status, has clearly been cared for and maintained every bit as well as it's vinyl. I would like to state clearly that there is one main factor in me deciding to the grade this VERY GOOD and it is by no means a serious fault. That is, on the top right hand corner of the front cover there is a very small tear from a sticker removal, I hope you can see from my photos below that this is a very minor thing and also see that it does not spoil the overall appearance of the cover.

Other than the above mentioned sticker removal, signs of age and use are very few. We're looking at a few very light creases at worst, there's the faint circular impression of a record on the front but I must stress that this hasn't caused any of the scuffing that is commonly associated with ring-wear. The top and bottom edges are both clean and un-rubbed, the corners show only really light rubbing effects, not serious wear. The pinched spine is unmarked with clearly legible text. All over, this rare album cover is in great shape with the few signs that it is pushing 34 years of age being only of the minor and general kind, this is a collectors piece from the top drawer!

TRACKLISTING:

Side One

'Who Knows'

'Machine Gun'

Side Two

'Changes'

'Power Of Soul'

'Message To Love'

'We Gotta Live Together'

POSTAGE & PACKING

PAYMENT

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VINYLSOUND

I have been trading and collecting records for over 20 years now. Our auctions on Ebay are always play-graded (when buying vinyl on the internet you really should settle for nothing less!) and our descriptions endeavour to inform potential buyers of every possible detail. Our photos are taken with care and aim to show you everything that there is to see, there’s nothing to hide with our auctions so please e-mail us and ask us questions if you need any additional information. We’ll endeavour to tell you everything you need to know.

99% of our auctions have a Price Guide value of more than £30 (often a lot more) and our starting prices are low, so there’s always a chance of picking up a bargain! We enjoy trading in rare and collectable vinyl and we love it when those rarities find a good home. Our gradings are based on Record Collector magazines ‘Rare Record Price Guide’ system (Mint/Excellent/Very Good/Good/Fair) and we always steer on the side of caution with these (for example if we have any element of doubt about grading a record EX we will always go VG to ensure the eventual buyer has a pleasant surprise!)

We offer money back to buyers with legitimate complaints; for example if the item has been damaged in transit – however if the buyer has simply decided they don’t like the music then we do expect them to keep the record! Happy bidding and good luck!